Sault Ste. Marie — Over 70 shoppers in Chippewa County have learned new skills for buying healthy food on a limited budget in the last 18 months, during a series of educational grocery shopping tours held in grocery stores. The Cooking Matters at the store tours (formerly known as Shopping Matters), developed by the anti-hunger nonprofit Share Our Strength and administered in Michigan by Gleaners Community Food Bank, were led by Chippewa County Health Department's Betty Noland, RD, who taught shoppers to compare unit prices, read food labels, identify whole grains and buy fruits and vegetables on a limited budget. After the tours, participants received a $10 gift card and utilized the skills they learned to buy healthy foods for their families.

Cooking Matters at the Store is an interactive grocery store tour that teaches low-income families to shop for healthy, affordable food. Participants learn to identify whole grain products, buy fruits and vegetables on a tight budget, compare unit prices, and read food labels. Cooking Matters at the Store was designed specifically for low-income adults and parents, with one tour tailored to foods in the state WIC program. Free materials are available in English and Spanish. Cooking Matters is part of the No Kid Hungry® campaign, working to end childhood hunger in America by connecting kids in need with nutritious food and teaching families to cook healthy, affordable meals. Cooking Matters at the Store is nationally sponsored and generously supported by Walmart and the ConAgra Foods Foundation.

In early 2012, the Walmart Foundation announced a $4 million grant to Share Our Strength to support the expansion of Cooking Matters at the Store tours across the United States and to reach low-income families with hands-on cooking demonstrations and shopping and nutrition education in six-week Cooking Matters courses. After completing a Cooking Matters at the Store tour, 54 percent of participants say they intend to compare unit prices to get the best deal and 56 percent say they will seek out whole grains on ingredient lists.

Chippewa County Health Department offers store tours monthly with the next one scheduled on April 16, 2013, Michelle Miller, zone manager at Walmart will lead two tours: 9 -11 a.m. OR noon-2 p.m. Please call 632-0572 to pre-register. All tours will offer free $10 gift cards, handouts, recipes, shopping bags, and calculators to participants.